UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION. 
BERKELEY,  CAL. 

E.  W.  HILGAED,  Director.  BULLETIN  No.  105. 


1.  THE  CANAIGRE  OR  TANNERS  DOCK. 

2.  AUSTRALIAN  SALT  BUSH  FOR  ALKALI  SOILS. 


OCTOBEE,   1894. 


THE  CANAIGRE  OR  TANNERS  DOCK, 

By  E.  W.  Hilgard,  Director  and  Chemist. 


The  Canaigre  or  tanners  dock  {Rumex  hymenosepalus)  has  of 
late  attracted  so  much  attention  as  a  promising  field  crop  and 
forms  the  subject  of  so  many  letters  of  inquiry  addressed  to 
this  station,  that  it  seems  desirable  to  summarize  for  the  benefit 
of  the  public  the  various  results  obtained  and  publications  made 
in  regard  to  it,  here  as  well  as  elsewhere;  in  order  to  enable 
every  one  to  form  his  own  judgment  in  regard  to  the  probable 
merits  of  the  culture  for  this  State.  Thus  far  the  best  source 
of  information  on  this  plant  is  Bulletin  No.  7  of  the  Arizona 
Experiment  Station,  at  Tucson. 

The  canaigre  plant,  though  recognizable  as  a  dock  by  any  at- 
tentive observer,  differs  from  most  of  the  common  species  in 
being  of  less  height  (rarely  over  two  feet  in  this  State)  and 
more  succulent;  the  stem  rather  brittle,  the  lance -shaped 
leaves  smoother  and  of  a  lighter  green  than  most  others,  quite 
smooth,  and  red-veined.  The  flowers  and  seeds  are  less  abun- 
dant and  larger  than  in  our  other  docks,  are  borne  on  erect 
branches,  and  are  suspended  by  longer  and  thinner,  reddish- 
colored  stalklets.  The  seed  vessels  are  conspicuously  winged 
and  reddish,  with  a  very  small  black  seed.  The  tuberous  roots 
resemble  sweet  potatoes  or  Dahlia  roots;  single  ones  weigh  from 
six-  to  fourteen  ounces  each,  and  from  one  to  four  are  found 
with  a  single  stalk. 

The  canaigre  is  indigenous  to  southern  California  as  far 
north  as  the  Kern  valley,  so  far  as  known;  it  is  more  particu- 
larly at  home,  however,  south  of  the  Tehachipi  mountains,  in 
the  sandy  lands  of  the  San  Fernando  and  San  Bernardino 
plains;  also  on  the  Gorgonio  pass  and  on  the  border  of  the 
Colorado  desert  generally;  also  no  doubt  in  the  valleys  of  San 
Diego.  Outside  of  California  it  is  apparently  most  abundant 
in  Arizona  and  southern  New  Mexico,  and  in  northwestern 
Texas;  it  reaches  to  Utah  and  the  Indian  Territory.  Its  abun- 
dant occurrence  in  New  Mexico  led  to  the  establishment  of  a 
factory  for  preparing  the  tannin  extract  for  shipment  instead 
of  the  root,  and  similar  establishments  were  proposed  for  Ari- 
zona. But  it  has  quickly  become  apparent  that  the  supply  of 
the  wild  plant  would  soon  become  exhausted,  and  that  in  order 
to  place  the  industry  upon  a  permanent  basis  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  grow  it  as  a  regular  crop.  Now  that  the  value  of  the 
root  for  the  tanning  of  fine  leathers  has  been  fully  established 
and  a  market  is  assured,  the  only  remaining  question  is  that  of 
the  best  conditions  for  its  cultivation,  as  to  climate,  soil,  and 
mode  of  culture,  to  endure  profitable  returns. 

As  regards  climate,  it  should  be  understood  that  in  Califor- 
nia the  plant  starts  its  growth  from  the  root  with  the  first  rains, 
in  October  or  November;  reaches  bloom  about  the  end  of  Jan- 
uary or  first  part  of  February,  perfects  its  seed  about  April  and 
dies  down  to  the  ground  in  May;  varying  according  to  the  win- 


--  3  — 

ter  temperature  and  the  advent  of  spring  warmth.  It  is  not 
therefore  to  be  expected  that  it  will  make  a  normal  growth 
where  the  ground  freezes  in  winter,  although  like  some  other 
culture  plants  it  maybe  able  to  adapt  itself  to  a  different  regime 
so  long  as  the  root  is  not  frosted.  We  have  not  as  yet  any 
definite  data  as  to  what  amount  of  winter  cold  will  kill  the  root. 

As  to  soil,  the  presumption  is  that,  like  other  root  crops,  it 
will  do  best  in  light  soils,  which  it  seems  to  occupy  naturally 
by  preference.  Yet  it  has  made  a  good  normal  growth  in  the 
heavy  black  adobe  of  the  Economic  Garden  at  this  station, 
which  however  has,  of  course,  been  kept  well  tilled.  It  appears 
therefore  to  be  quite  adaptable  to  a  variety  of  soils;  the  New 
Mexico  station  reports  "adobe  soil  "  as  its  preferred  ground, 
but  the  term  is  evidently  used  there  in  a  different  sense,  as 
designating  the  loams  of  the  character  actually  used  for  build- 
ing adobe  houses;  a  use  for  which  the  average  adobe  of  Cali- 
fornia would  be  inapplicable. 

Propagation. — The  easiest  way  to  obtain  a  stand  of  the  canai- 
gre  is  to  plant  the  smaller  roots  obtained  in  harvesting  the 
crop.  These  develop  rapidly  and  according  to  the  observations 
made  at  the  New  Mexico  station  will,  when  irrigated,  quadruple 
their  weight  in  one  season;  they  will  also  in  that  case  produce 
seed  abundantly.  One  marked  peculiarity  of  the  roots,  re- 
marked upon  by  all  reports,  is  that  when  cut,  the  upper  portion 
(the  one  having  the  root  crown)  will  reconstruct  its  lower  part 
by  new  growth  which  differs  markedly  from  the  older  by  its 
smoothness. 

Propagation  by  seed  seems  to  occur  quite  rarely  in  Arizona 
and  New  Mexico,  as  well  as  in  California  south  of  the  Tehachipi 
range.  But  with  more  abundant  moisture,  as  in  the  "Weed- 
patch  "  of  the  Kern  valley  (an  ancient  channel  still  receiving 
some  seepage)  and  at  this  station  when  early  rains  occur,  the 
fallen  seeds  sprout  abundantly;  and  we  will  the  coming  season 
be  enabled  to  ascertain  what  advantage  there  may  be  in  prop- 
agating by  seed  instead  of  devoting  a  portion  of  the  root  crop 
to  replanting.  The  seed  must  be  sown  quite  shallow  and  lightly 
covered,  when  the  ground  is  moist. 

When  irrigated  the  roots  will  stand  close  planting,  say  nine 
or  ten  inches  apart  in  rows  thirty  inches  apart,  as  in  the  case 
@f  sugar  beets.  Since  the  roots  are  on  the  average  somewhat 
smaller  than  sugar  beets,  the  average  crop  will  be  somewhat  less 
in  weight. 

Canaigre  roots  will  sometimes  remain  in  the  ground  during 
several  successive  dry  years  without  injury,  growing  as  soon  as 
the  needful  moisture  comes.  This  indicates  the  mode  of  keep- 
ing the  roots  for  seed,  viz.:  in  dry  sand  or  loam,  in  a  dry  place. 
When  kept  in  piles  for  any  length  of  time,  the  canaigre  root 
heats   and  spoils  even  quicker  than  the  sweet  potato. 

Cultivation  will,  it  must  be  presumed,  not  differ  materially 
from  that  of  the  sugar  beet,  except  that  there  will  be  no  thin- 


ning  needed;  and  as  in  the  case  of  the  latter,  only  a  few  culti- 
vations will  be  required  to  subdue  weeds  and  to  maintain 
good  tilth  in  the  rainless  summer  climates  in  which  it  is  at 
home.  The  Arizona  station  prescribes  that  "  to  secure  the 
largest  yield  the  planting  should  be  done  before  the  first  of  Oc- 
tober (in  that  climate)  and  the  soil  moistened  and  plowed;  then 
the  roots  dropped  and  covered  with  a  potato  planter  adjusted 
to  suit  the  case.  The  crop  should  be  irrigated  from  four  to  six 
times  and  some  implement  of  the  two-horse  cultivator  style  run 
through  the  rows  after  each  irrigation." 

The  amount  of  irrigation  that  should  be  given  will  of  course 
vary  according  to  the  kind  of  soil  and  the  natural  moisture. 
As  it  seems  that  too  much  water  depresses  the  tannin-percent- 
age (see  below),  while  increasing  the  weight  of  the  crop,  there 
is  evidently  a  certain  measure  that  cannot  be  profitably  ex- 
ceeded, but  which  must  be  established  by  experiment.  At  this 
station,  with  an  average  rainfall  of  23  inches  during  the  win- 
ter, irrigation  is  certainly  not  called  for. 

Harvesting  can  be  done  as  in  the  case  of  beets,  by  means  of 
a  "  digger  "  such  as  is  used  for  potatoes  and  (in  a  modified  form) 
for  the  sugar  beet.  A  crop  of  ten  tons  per  acre  from  roots 
planted  as  indicated  above  and  properly  cultivated  for  one  sea- 
son, is  probably  a  fair  average  expectation. 

But  it  is  not  necessary  to  harvest  the  root  at  any  particular 
time,  since  it  not  only  does  not  deteriorate  by  remaining  in  the 
ground  but  actually  increases  its  tannin-percentage  about  the 
time  the  buds  for  the  second  year's  growth  begin  to  move;  as 
has  been  shown  at  the  Arizona  station.  In  fact  the  tannin  ap- 
pears to  increase  to  a  maximum  at  the  end  of  the  second  sea- 
son, after  which  it  seems  to  remain  constant;  at  least  we  have 
never  found  a  higher  percentage  in  roots  older  than  two  years, 
than  in  the  two-year-old.  As  the  roots  do  not  die  or  decay, 
it  is  optional  with  the  farmer  when  to  dig  them.  At  this  sta- 
tion, when  a  clump  that  had  grown  from  a  single  root  was  dug 
up  after  remaining  undisturbed  for  eight  years,  not  a  decayed 
root  was  found  and  the  whole  weighed  13  pounds.  The  older 
roots  are  much  darker  in  color  and  have  a  rougher  surface  than 
new  roots,  which  are  as  smooth  as  sweet  potatoes. 

The  canaigre  thus  differs  from  almost  every  other  crop  in 
that  its  harvest  can  wait  for  the  convenience  of  the  farmer, 
within  wide  limits.  It  is  not  certainly  known  as  yet  whether 
the  root  increases  in  weight  after  the  second  year;  our  impres- 
sion is  that  the  increase  is  slight  if  any,  and  that  it  will  not  be 
found  best  to  defer  harvesting  after  the  second  year.  But  we 
have  found  that  there  is  no  material  difference  in  the  tannin 
contents  of  the  full-grown  root  whether  the  plant  is  resting, 
blooming  or  seeding. 

Marketing. — As  has  been  stated  above,  the  canaigre  root,  while 
an  excellent  keeper  when   kept  very  dry,  spoils  readily  when 


kept  in  mass.  It  cannot  therefore  be  shipped  green  to  any 
great  distance,  but  must  for  distance  shipments  be  either  dried 
or  converted  into  extract. 

Drying  is  costly  and  laborious,  and  after  all  of  somewhat 
uncertain  result  on  the  large  scale.  Tannin  is  a  very  easily 
decomposable  substance;  drying  at  a  high  temperature  will  in- 
jure it  as  well  as  when,  at  too  low  a  temperature,  the  drying 
progresses  too  slowly  and  permits  fermentation  to  start  up. 
Even  small  roots  cannot  be  dried  whole  without  serious  deteri- 
oration; it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  slice  them,  very  much  as 
beets  are  sliced  for  sugar-making.  But  when  machinery  is  once 
procured  for  slicing,  it  seems  better  to  go  a  step  farther  and 
end  all  fear  of  deterioration  by  preparing  the  extract,  which 
will  keep  indefinitely. 

The  cost  of  a  factory  plant  for  preparing  the  extract  need  not 
be  large,  but  it  must  be  managed  by  competent  hands. 

According  to  the  data  obtained  by  the  Arizona  station,  agreeing 
well  with  the  averages  obtained  by  us,  three  tons  of  green  roots 
will  make  one  ton  of  dried,  or  one-half  ton  of  extract;  or,  six 
tons  of  green  root  will  yield  one  ton  of  extract,  averaging  from 
60  to  65  per  cent,  of  tannin,  and,  therefore,  very  well  capable 
of  shipment  to  a  distance,  so  far  as  value  is  concerned. 

Structure  and  chemical  composition  of  the  root. — As  the  canaigre 
root  varies  in  its  outward  aspect,  so  it  also  differs  quite  obvi- 
ously in  its  internal  appearance.  Old  roots  are  darker-colored 
than  young  ones,  both  outside  and  inside;  the  latter  point 
seems  also  to  be  influenced  by  differences  in  soil  and  culti- 
vation. 

The  fresh  root  shows  on  a  cut  surface  irregular  orange  or 
lemon-yellow  blotches  and  streaks,  sometimes  covering  the 
greater  part  of  the  section  almost  uniformly.  On  exposure  to 
the  air  the  color  rapidly  darkens  into  brownish-red,  which  is 
also  the  color  of  the  extract  as  a  whole.  Microscopic  examina- 
tion shows  that  the  coloring  substance  (aporetin?)  is  contained 
in  separate  cells  almost  free  from  starch  grains,  while  the  un- 
colored  tissue  is  full  of  starch.  The  tannin  appears  to  be  very 
uniformly  distributed  throughout,  in  solution  in  the  sap;  but 
in  the  case  of  large  roots  appears  to  be  most  abundant  near  the 
axis  or  center  line,  contrary  to  what  occurs  in  the  case  of  sugar 
in  the  beet. 

The  tannin-content  of  the  fresh  and  dried  root  from  differ- 
ent localities,  of  different  ages,  etc.,  as  heretofore  determined 
at  this  station,  are  given  in  the  subjoined  table;  for  the  sake  of 
comparison,  the  tannin  percentages  found  in  other  materials 
available  in  this  State  are  also  given.* 

*The  tannin  determinations  given  here  have  been  made  hy  the  permaganate 
method,  but  have  been  repeatedly  checked  by  the  gelatine  (or  hide-scrap)  method, 
with  but  trifling  differences  in  the  results.  These  therefore  represent  fairly  what 
hides  will  take  up  from  the  root  or  root  extract. 


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The  first  analysis  here  given  was  published  in  the  report  of 
the  U.  S.  Dep't  of  Agriculture  for  1878  and  refers  to  roots  from 
northwestern  Texas.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  tannin  percent- 
age there  given  (26.4  on  the  average)  is  the  lowest  of  all  the 
results  obtained  from  wild  roots.  The  Arizona  Station  gives  as 
the  average  of  wild  roots  from  that  territory  30.5%  of  tannin 
while  the  average  of  the  wild  roots  from  California  is  seen  to  be 
35.85,  or  5.35%  higher.  Whether  this  is  due  to  climatic  or  soil 
differences  remains  to  be  determined.  The  fact  that  large  roots 
from  the  Gorgonio  Pass  and  from  the  Berkeley  Economic  Gar- 
den both  yielded  the  maximum  percentage  (38.5),  while  the 
soils  are  respectively  at  the  opposite  extremes  of  sandiness  and 
clayeyness,  would  seem  to  indicate  climatic  factors  as  the  more 
probable  cause  of  difference.  At  all  events,  it  appears  clearly 
that  the  California-grown  root  is  likely  to  be  superior  rather 
than  inferior  to  that  grown  farther  south. 

As  regards  the  relation  of  tannin-contents  to  color,  analyses 
4,  5,  11,  12  and  14  furnish  some  interesting  indications.  It 
appears  that  in  Kern  county  the  canaigre  is  known  as  ' '  red 
dock,"  probably  more  from  its  red  leafstalks  and  veins  than  be- 
cause of  the  color  of  the  root.  There  is  a  variation  in  the 
color  which  is  expressed  by  the  popular  names  of  "  white  red  " 
and  "  red  red  "  dock,  while  there  is  also  a  kind  called  "  white 
dock."  The  latter,  as  the  table  shows  is  a  different  species  and 
contains  only  traces  of  tannin;  the  "white  red"  has  only  a 
little  over  20%,  the  "red"  (No.  11)  29%,  the  "red  red"  35%. 
It  is  thus  evident  that  in  the  case  of  the  canaigre  as  well  as  in 
that  of  other  culture  plants,  there  is  a  considerable  variation  in 
the  quality  of  different  varieties;  and  it  seems  that  the  deeper 
the  tint  of  the  foliage  (and  root)  the  greater  the  tannin-yield  is 
likely  to  be.  Doubtless  in  the  future  we  shall  be  able  to  im- 
prove the  canaigre  in  this  respect  as  the  sugar  beet  has  been. 
But  it  is  also  clear  that  the  extent  of  moisture  and  irrigation 
has  a  very  great  effect  in  this  direction;  since  we  see  that  the 
well-irrigated  plant  from  the  experimental  field  of  the  Kern 
Co.  Land  Company  near  Bakersfield  yields  only  17.8%,  or  about 
half  as  much  as  the  best  wild  plant. 

Analyses  1,  2  and  3  show  plainly  the  effects*  of  drying  in  vari- 
ous ways.  No.  1  was  rapidly  dried  by  steam  heat  after  cutting 
into  very  thin  slices;  No.  2  was  cut  more  thickly  and  placed  in  a 
drier  on  a  tray,  as  might  be  done  on  the  large  scale;  No.  3  was 
dried  whole  at  a  gentle  heat.  It  will  be  noted  that  while  the 
first  contained  an  unusually  high  percentage,  the  second  was 
reduced  to  less  than  half,  and  in  the  third,  five-sixths  of  the 
tannin  was  destroyed  by  the  process. 

Comparing  the  canaigre  with  other  tanning  materials  given  in 
the  table,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  bark  of  the  black  wattle  and 
golden  wattle  exceed  the  root  in  tannin  contents.  The  question 
then  arises  whether,  supposing  the  two  materials  to  be  of  equal 


—  8  — 

quality  for  tanning  purposes,  it  will  be  more  profitable  to  grow 
canaigre  than  the  wattles.  An  approximate  comparative  esti- 
mate for  the  crops  will  therefore  be  of  interest. 

Here  the  time  element  comes  in  as  an  essential  factor.  It 
takes  eight  or  ten  years  to  mature  a  wattle  plantation ;  the  yield 
of  bark  per  acre  is,  for  the  first  eight  years  (for  the  black  wattle), 
estimated  at  about  twelve  tons,  besides  possibly  100  cords  of 
wood,  available  for  firewood.  This  estimate  is  based  upon  the 
planting  of  400  trees  per  acre;  close  planting  being  desirable 
in  order  to  secure  long  trunks.  The  bark  is  worth  about  $25 
per  ton  in  Australia.  At  the  end  of  eight  years  twenty  acres 
will  yield  240  tons  of  such  bark  (value  $6,000),  plus  2,000  cords 
of  trunk  wood,  which  would  barely  bring  one  dollar  per  cord  in 
this  country.  Therefore  $8,000  represents  the  gross  returns  for 
the  twenty  acres  as  against  about  $2,050  of  cash  outlay  plus 
rent  of  land,  interest,  wear  and  tear,. etc.  The  clearing  of  the 
land  for  replanting  would  cost  from  $40  to  $50  per  acre,  so  that 
$800  to  $1,000  must  be  added  to  the  above  estimate  of  cost;  leav- 
ing the  net  returns  for  the  eight  years  about  $5,000. 

On  the  other  hand  we  would  have  in  the  case  of  canaigre, 
estimating  on  the  cost  of  the  cultivation  of  sugar  beets,  and 
allowing  for  the  differences  in  the  operations  required,  about 
$3,000  for  the  eight  years,  plus  again  the  rent  of  land,  interest 
and  wear  and  tear.  In  return  for  this,  at  the  rate  of  ten  tons 
of  roots  per  acre,  there  would  be  obtained  1,600  tons  of  fresh 
roots  worth  $8,000  upon  the  basis  of  the  price  of  beets  only 
(viz.:  $5  per  ton).  According  to  the  prices  as  above  estimated 
the  outcome  of  the  eight  years'  culture  would  be  very  nearly 
the  same  for  black  wattle  and  canaigre.  But  the  returns  from 
the  latter,  unlike  the  former,  would  bear  interest  during  the 
eight  years;  and  the  wide  climatic  range  of  the  canaigre  ren- 
ders it  much  more  widely  available. 

This  presupposes  that  the  tannin  of  both  plants  will  in  com- 
merce bring  about  the  same  prices.  But  it  is  well  known  that 
the  acacia  tannin  is  not  available  for  the  tanning  of  fine  leath- 
ers, for  the  reason  that  it  tends  to  render  them  somewhat  brit- 
tle. But  if,  as  we  are  now  informed,  the  tannin  of  canaigre 
(rheo-tannin)  is  well  adapted  to  all  purposes,  including  the 
finest  leathers,  it  will  go  far  towards  throwing  the  balance  still 
farther  on  the  side  of  the  root  as  against  the  trees,  particularly 
where  the  price  of  labor  and  capital  is  high. 

ASH     COMPOSITION     AND     NITROGEN    CONTENTS     OF    THE    CANAIGRE 

ROOT. 

In  its  draft  upon  the  soil  ingredients,  the  canaigre  differs 
from  the  beet  and  most  other  root  crops  in  drawing  much  less 
heavily  on  potash,  but  more  heavily  on  magnesia,  and  on 
phosphoric  and  sulphuric  acids.  The  following  table  illustrates 
these  points.     The  ash  analysis  of  the  root,  grown  at  this  sta- 


tion,  was  made  by  Mr.  P.  W.  Tomkins,  a  student  in  the  ag- 
ricultural laboratory.  That  of  the  sugar  beet,  placed  along- 
side, is  an  average  from  European  data: 

Ash  Composition  of  Canaigre  Eoot. 


Canaigre. 


Silica  (Si02) 

Potash  (K20) 

Soda  (Na20) 

Lime  (CaO) 

Magnesia  (MgO) 

Br.  ox.  manganese  (Mn304) 

Per-oxide  of  iron  and  alumina 

Phosphoric  acid  (P205) 

Sulphuric  acid  (S03) 

Chlorine 

Excess  of  oxygen  due  to  chlorine 

Total 

Percentage  of  pure  ash  in  dry  root 

Percentage  of  crude  ash  in  dry  loot  .... 
Percentage  of  carbonic  acid  in  crude  ash 
Percentage  of  total  nitrogen  in  dry  root. 


3.89 
28.74 

2.47 

8.16 

16.93 

.98 

2.45 
18.19 
13.16 

6.43 


101.40 
1.40 


100.00 


4.48 
4.79 
5.20 
1.93 


Sugar 
Beet. 


3.50 
49.40 
9.60 
6.30 
8.90 


1.10 

14.30 

4.70 

2.60 


100.40 

.57 


99.83 


4.35 

5.44 

20.00 

.87 


A  partial  analysis  reported  from  the  Arizona  station,  while 
confirming  the  greater  demand  for  phosphoric  acid  by  canaigre 
as  compared  with  the  sugar  beet,  assigns  to  the  former  twice  as 
much  potash  as  to  the  latter,  and  does  not  mention  either 
soda  or  magnesia.  While  such  differences  are  not  unexam- 
pled, these  data  can  hardly  be  accepted  as  proving  them  in  this 
case.  Koughly  speaking,  we  are  probably  justified  in  assuming 
that  for  equal  weights  of  crop  the  cost  of  replacing  the  mineral 
soil  ingredients  by  the  purchase  of  fertilizers  when  necessary, 
will  be  about  the  same  for  both  crops;  while  as  regards  nitro- 
gen, our  determination  shows  that  the  canaigre  draws  nearly 
twice  as  heavily  as  the  beet,  so  that  a  crop  of  ten  tons  of  fresh 
roots  will  take  out  of  the  soil  nearly  100  pounds  of  nitrogen  per 
acre.  In  regular  culture,  it  should,  therefore,  probably  be 
alternated  with  leguminous  crops,  that  enrich  the  soil  in 
nitrogen. 


AUSTRALIAN  SALT  BUSH. 
Atriplex  semibaccatum,  a  forage  plant  for  alkali  soils. 

By  M.  E.  Jaffa,  Ph.  B.,  Instructor  in  charge  of  Agricultural  Laboratory. 


According  to  our  observation  this  plant,  originally  obtained 
from  Baron  v.  Mueller  of  Melbourne,  strongly  commends  itself 
as  a  forage  plant  for  alkali  lands  in  the  San  Joaquin  valley  and 
elsewhere  in  California.  It  seems  to  be  readily  eaten  by  stock 
and  can  be  successfully  grown  on  alkali  lands  which  will  not 
sustain  any  other  crop.  As  the  name  implies,  the  plant  is  in- 
digenous to  Australia;  and  on  page  59  of  Baron  Ferd.  vo,n  Muel- 
ler's "  Select  Extra-tropical  Plants,"  is  found  the  following  state- 
ment: 

11  Atriplex  semibaccatum,  P.  Brown. — Extra-tropic  Australia — 
a  perennial  herb,  very  much  liked  by  sheep  (P.  H.  Andrews), 
thus  considered  among  the  best  of  saline  herbage  of  the  salt 
bush  country.  Mr.  Will  Farrer  pronounces  this  herb  as  won- 
derful for  its  productiveness  and  its  drought-resisting  power." 

Unlike  most  of  the  other  salt  bushes,  this  plant  has  a  pros- 
trate habit,  covering  the  ground  with  a  green  cushion  8-10 
inches  thick.  Single  plants  form  wheel-shaped  masses,  with 
small,  narrow  leaves  (i  to  f  long  by  £  to  T3g-  inch  wide)  thickly 
set  on  numerous  small,  slender  branches;  flowers  inconspicuous 
but  fruit  (heart-shaped  and  about  T*T  inch  long)  of  a  brownish- 
red  tint,  very  abundant.  Plant  perennial  and  when  cut  soon 
reproducing  itself  from  the  same  root. 

At  the  Experiment  Station  near  Tulare,  the  herb,  or  bush, 
has  been  planted  with  excellent  results  in  some  of  the  worst 
alkali  spots  of  the  station  grounds;  single  plants  having  reached 
a  diameter  of  sixteen  feet  in  one  season.  The  yield  of  a  full 
cut  is  about  twenty  tons  of  green  material,  or,  calculating  on 
a  basis  of  seventy-five  per  cent,  water,  five  tons  of  dry  matter 
per  acre.  According  to  the  data  given  by  the  foreman,  Mr. 
Forrer,  a  long -season  would  permit  of  two  such  cuts. 

Propagation. — The  plant  grows  very  readily  from  seed,  which 
is  produced  in  abundance  and  which,  as  foreman  Forrer  states, 
should  not  be  covered  when  fresh,  being  liable  to  rot;  but 
should  be  dropped  on  the  surface  of  the  soil  before  a  rain,  and 
when  warm  weather  comes  it  will  germinate  and  take  care  of 
itself.  When  young  plants  are  transplanted  in  a  dry  time  they 
need  watering  two  or  three  times. 

In  feeding  the  salt  bush  it  has  been  used  in  conjunction  with 
hay,  about  1\  pounds  of  green  salt  bush  to  2J  pounds  of  hay 
at  one  feed,  or  in  the  ratio  of  three  to  one.  Sheep  and  hogs 
eat  it  green  without  the  least  trouble;  horses  and  cattle  soon 
get  used  to  it  if  fed  mixed  with  other  feed  at  first.  They  never 
need  any  salting. 


11 


Composition. — A  chemical  investigation  of  the  fresh  plant  as 
grown  at  Tulare  gave  the  following  results;  analyses  of  other 
fodders  are  given  for  comparison: 


Table  I. 


Proximate  Analysis  of  the  Australian  Salt  Bush  Compared  with 
some  Green  Fodders: 


Water 

Organic 

Mineral  Matter  (Ash) 

Total 


Salt 
Bush. 


78.03 
17.39 

4.58 


100.00 


Alfalfa. 


74.95 

23.38 

1.67 


100.00 


Flat  Pea 


63.48 

33.34 

3.18 


100.00 


Oat 
Fodder. 


62.20 

35.30 

2.50 


100.00 


It  is  thus  seen  that  of  the  foods  here  represented,  the  salt 
bush  contains  the  least  organic  matter  and  the  most  ash  and 
water;  the  ash  being  nearly  three  times  that  found  in  alfalfa, 
about  one  and  a  half  that  given  for  the  flat  pea,  and  not  far 
from  twice  the  mineral  contents  of  the  oat  fodder. 

The  moisture  percentage  in  the  Australian  plant  and  the  al- 
falfa are  quite  close  and  both  considerably  higher  than  those 
found  in  the  flat  pea  (Lathyrus  sylvestris)  and  the  oat  fodder. 

In  Table  II  is  given  the  detailed  analysis  of  the  salt  bush, 
showing  its  food  value. 


Table  II. 

Food  Value  of  Salt  Bush. 

Fresh. 

Air- 
dried. 

Water- 
free. 

Moisture 

78.03 
2.75 

10.41 

.48 

3.75 

4.58 

7.05 
11.64 
44.05 

2.01 
15.88 
19.37 

Albuminoids 

12.53 

Nitrogen -free  Extract 

47.39 

Fat 

2.16 

Cellulose  (fiber) 

17.08 

Ash 

20.84 

Total  . . .  • 

100.00 

100.00 

100.00 

The  above  analyses  prove  that  this  fodder  is  one  of  consider- 
able merit;  containing  high  percentages  of  that  very  important 
constituent,  the  albuminoids.  The  contents  in  nitrogen-free 
extract  (starch,  sugar,  gums,  etc.),  are  about  an  average, 
while  the  fat  is  somewhat  low.  The  mineral  matter  represented 
by  the  ash  percentage,  as  before  stated,  is  exceedingly  high, 
being  nearly  one-fifth  the  total  weight  of  the  air-dried  plant. 

A  comparison  with  some  typical  fodders  will  more  strongly 
bring  out  the  value  and  importance  of  the  Australian  salt  bush 
as  a  cattle  food.     Table  III  below  gives  these  data. 


For  explanations  of  all  the  terms  used  in  this   discussion  see  Bulletin  No.  100 
of  this  station. 


12 


Table  III.     Showing  Composition  of  the  Salt  Bush  and  Some  Other  Fodders. 


Australian  Salt  Bush 

Alfalfa 

Lath.  Sylvestris  (Flat  Pea) 

Oat  Hay  (Cal.) 

Barley  Hay  (Eastern) 


AIR-DRIED 

SUBSTANCE. 

MO 

5*1 

Percentage  Composition. 

Am't  digestible  in  100  lbs. 

g 

►jj 

Q 

Q 

3 

O 

a 

O 

O 

fej 

c 

1 

*3 

?. 

Hff 

?, 

Sri 

►i 

-t 

MS 

2H 

2.3 

S 

3 

5 

>-«  on? 

g.3 

& 

g 

2 
5* 

Pi 

I 

1? 

•    co 

•    a 

7.05 

19.37 

11.64 

15.88 

44  05 

2.01 

8.75 

1.21 

8.58 

29.63 

925 

11.92 

5.89 

14.10 

21.55 

44.27 

2.57 

10.58 

1.23 

9.77 

30.10 

990 

10.00 

7.83 

20.16 

24.05 

33.94 

4.02 

15.32 

2.41 

13.94 

22.06 

1070 

10.38 

6.75 

8.31 

23.85 

47.91 

2.80 

4.74 

1.34 

13.83 

29.70 

954 

10.25 

4.44 

9.21 

26.14 

47.49 

2.47 

5.25 

1.19 

15.16 

29.44 

979 

v 

2". 
o 

1:4.5 
1:4.1 
1:2.7 
1:9.9 
1:9.1 


An  inspection  of  the  figures  indicating  the  protein  contents  of 
the  different  foods  show  that  the  salt  bush,  containing  11.64 
per  cent.,  exceeds  in  this  respect  both  the  oat,  with  8.31,  and 
the  barley  hay,  with  9.21  per  cent.  Alfalfa,  showing  14.10  per 
cent.,  is  somewhat  richer  in  this  respect  than  is  the  salt  bush, 
while  the  flat  pea  contains  nearly  double  the  quantity  so  found, 
as  indicated  by  the  respective  figures,  20.16  and  11.64. 

The  fat  percentage,  2.01,  in  the  salt  bush  is  about  four-fifths 
of  that  found  in  the  other  materials,  with  the  exception  of  the 
flat  pea,  which  has  4.02  per  cent.,  just  double  the  above  figure. 

The  figure  for  nitrogen-free  extract,  40-05,  does  not  differ  ma- 
terially except  in  the  case  of  the  flat  pea,  where  it  is  only  about 
three-fourths  of  this  amount. 

Crude  fiber  in  the  salt  bush  is  present  in  much  smaller  amount 
(15.88  per  cent.)  than  it  is  in  the  other  fodders,  the  average  for 
them  being  23.89;  since  woody  fiber  is  the  least  digestible  of  any 
part  of  a  fodder,  this  is  rather  an  advantage  than  otherwise. 

When  the  amounts  of  digestible  nutrients  (protein,  fat,  starch, 
sugar,  gums,  etc.)  in  each  food  are  compared,  the  showing  for 
the  salt  bush  is  still  more  promising.  The  nutritive  ratio  (the 
proportion  between  the  digestible  nitrogenous  and  non-nitro- 
genous parts  of  the  food)  for  alfalfa  and  the  salt  bush  are  al- 
most identical  and  ahead  of  both  the  oat  and  barley  hay,  as  is 
seen  when  comparing  the  figures  1:4  and  1:9.  The  flat  pea 
being  exceptionally  rich  in  protein,  shows  naturally  an  excel- 
cellent  nutritive  ratio,  1:2.7.  The  potential  energy  is  slightly 
more  in  the  case  of  the  other  foods  than  that  given  for  the  salt 
bush,  owing  to  its  high  ash  percentage. 

Composition  of  the  Ash. — The  large  proportion  of  ash  in  the 
salt  bush  and  the  fact  of  the  plant  yielding  such  excellent  re- 
sults in  some  of  the  worst  alkali  spots,  rendered  desirable  a 
complete  examination  of  the  ash,  in  order  to  ascertain  the 
character  of  the  mineral  ingredients  taken  from  the  soil.     The 


—  13  — 

results  of  the  analysis,  made  by  Mr.  P.  W.  Tompkins,  a  student 
in  the  Agricultural  Laboratory,  are  given  below: 

Silica  (Si02) 16.24 

Potash  (K20) 11.42 

Soda  (Na20) 35.39 

Lime  (CaO) 5.79 

Magnesia  MgO 3.23 

Per-Oxide  of  Iron  (Fe203) 1.38 

Alumina  (A1203) 1.95 

Br.  Oxide  of  Manganese  (Mn304) 22 

Phosphoric  Acid  (P005) 2.80 

Sulphuric  Acid  (S03) 2.64 

Chlorine  (CI) 24.33 


105.35 
Excess  of  0  due  to  CI 5. 35 


Total 100.00 

Per  cent,  of  pure  ash  in  air-dried  substance 19.37 

From  the  data  here  presented  we  see  that  for  100  pounds  of 
air-dried  material  there  are  19.37  pounds  pure  ash.  Assuming 
the  water  in  the  fresh  substance  at  about  75  per  cent.,  every  100 
of  dry  matter  corresponds  to  400  green.  Each  ton  of  green 
stuff  is  equivalent  to  500  pounds  of  strictly  dry  material  or 
550  pounds  of  air-dried  matter,  containing  about  110  pounds 
of  mineral  ingredients.  Of  this  extraordinary  amount  of  ash, 
nearly  40  per  cent.,  or  44  pounds,  is  common  salt,  and  about  15 
per  cent.,  or  17  pounds  more  is  soda  in  other  combinations; 
in  the  crude  ash  mainly  in  the  form  of  carbonate  of  soda. 
The  amounts  of  potash,  lime  and  phosphoric  acid  are  relatively 
small,  thus  rendering  the  salt  bush  excellent  for  "desalting," 
or  freeing  the  soil  from  objectionable  sodium  compounds. 

Fertilizing  value  of  the  ash. — In  the  ash  from  a  ton  of  air- 
dried  plant  there  are  nearly  14  lbs.  of  potash,  and  3.5  lbs. 
phosphoric  acid  available  as  plant  food;  or,  estimating  about  6 
tons  to  the  acre,  84  lbs.  potash  and  21  lbs.  of  phosphoric  acid. 
But  as  potash  exists  in  more  than  sufficient  quantity  in  most  of 
the  valley  soils  of  the  State,  it  is  only  the  phosphoric  acid  that  is 
to  be  considered  when  regarding  the  fertilizing  value  of  the  ash. 
The  advantage  which  would  accrue  to  the  soil  by  the  addition 
of  that  amount  of  phosphoric  acid  would  be  much  more  than 
offset  by  the  large  amount  of  alkali  salts,  chief  among  which 
would  be  the  "  black  alkali,"  or  carbonate  of  soda,  and  the  com- 
mon salt,  accompanying  the  phosphoric  acid. 

In  the  following  table  is  given  the  analysis  of  the  ash  of  the 
salt  bush  and  that  of  some  other  plants,  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  the  comparative  amounts  of  mineral  ingredients  with- 
drawn from  the  soil  by  them: 


Table  IV. 


14 


Showing  Ash  Composition  of  the  Salt   Bush    in  Comparison  with 
Some  Other  Plants. 


0Q> 

«-t-    e-*- 

» s" 

t^P 

Q 
i_j  •-* 

W  <x> 

®  s 

w     ft) 

Qo 
o  o 
:  S** 

CO   £_, 
P 

Timothy 
Hay, 

Eastern . . 

Silica 

*16.24 

11.42 

35.39 

5.75 

3.25 

.22 

3.33 

2.80 

2.64 

24.33 

11.81 

18.53 

39.45 

1.36 

1.09 

9.38 

23.45 
1.56 

44.30 
4.68 

35.60 

Potash 

28.80 

Soda 

2.70 

Lime 

9.30 

Magnesia    

3.60 

Br.  Ox.  Manganese : 

Peroxid  Iron  and  Alumina 

7.06 

3.51 

4.93 

15.30 

Phosphoric  Acid 

8.34 
5.73 
3.12 

10.80 

Sulphuric  Acid 

3.90 

Chlorine 

5.00 

Less  excess  of  0.  due  to  CI 

105.35 
5.35 

103.04 
3.25 

100.56 
.68 

99.70 

Total 

100.00 

99.79 

99.88 

Percentage  of  Ash  in  air-dried  plant 

19.37 

12.03 

5.89 

6.15 

It  is  thus  seen  that  the  ash  of  the  salt  bush  approaches  more 
nearly  to  the  composition  of  the  ash  of  the  greasewood  than  to 
that  of  either  the  alfalfa  or  the  timothy.  The  percentages  of 
potash  and  phosphoric  acid  in  the  ash  of  the  salt  bush  are  both 
less  than  in  any  of  the  other  plants. 

But  although  the  percentages  of  these  two  vital  ingredients 
are  somewhat  low,  the  actual  amounts  contained  in  the  ash 
from  a  single  crop  of  the  salt  bush  are  far  in  excess  of  those 
found  for  an  ordinary  crop  of  hay. 

The  lime  in  the  case  of  the  salt  bush  is  about  four  times  that 
found  in  the  greasewood,  but  a  little  less  than  one-seventh  of 
the  amount  noted  for  alfalfa  and  about^wo-thirds  the  quantity 
present  in  timothy  hay.  The  most  striking  feature  of  the  salt 
bush  as  compared  with  the  other  plants,  is  the  excessive 
amount  of  chlorine,  as  shown  by  the  figure  24.33  as  against 
15.30  for  greasewood,  and  3.12  per  cent,  and  5.00  for  alfalfa 
and  timothy,  respectively.  The  corresponding  amounts  of 
sodium  chloride  (common  salt)  are  38.93,  24.48,  4.99  and  8.00. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  percentages  of  potash  and  phos- 
phoric acid  are  less  in  the  ash  of  the  salt  bush  than  in  that  of 
the  other  plants,  when  calculated  on  the  same  amount  of  ashr 
yet  the  percentage  of  ash  being  so  much  greater  in  the  salt 
bush,  there  will  be  withdrawn  from  the  soil  more  potash  by  a 
ton  of  salt  bush  than  by  the  same  weight  of  the  other  cultures. 
Table  V  illustrates  this  point. 


About  one-half  of  the  silica  is  soluble  in  carbonate  of  soda  solution. 


15 


Table  V.    Quantities  of  Soil  Ingredients  Withdrawn  by  Various  Plants  (Air  Dried). 


Total  Ash  lbs 

Potash,  lbs. 

Phos  Acid.lbs. 

Lime,  lbs. 

Nitrogen,  lbs 

Salt  Bush-In  1,000  ft>s 

Crop  of  10,000  ft>s 

193.70 

1,937.00 

120.30 

1,203.00 

65.00 
780.00 

51.26 
256.30 

61.50 
307.50 

21.30 

213.00 

22.29 

222.90 

13.49 

161.88 

9.15 

45.75 

17.71 

88.55 

5.93 
59.30 

4.22 
42.20 

6.43 
77.16 

4.13 
20.65 

6.64 
33.20 

11.14 

111.40 

1.64 

16.40 

22.86 

274.32 

2.30 

11.50 

5.72 

28.60 

18.60 
186.00 

Greasewood-In  1,000  flbs 

Crop  of  10,000  ft>s 

Alfalfa-In  1,000  ibs 

*22.50 

Crop  of  12,000  Bbs , . 

Wheat  (whole  plant)-In  1,000  lbs 
Crop  of  5,000  lbs 

225.00 

8.75 

43.75 

Timothy  Hay-In  1,000  fos 

Crop  of  5,000  lbs 

15.40 
77.00 

The  total  ash  of  a  crop  of  salt  bush,  as  indicated  by  the  per- 
centage, is  more  than  three  times  that  contained  in  one  of 
timothy,  two  and  a  half  times  that  removed  by  a  crop  of  alfalfa, 
and  about  one  and  a  half  times  greater  than  the  figure  obtained 
for  greasewood. 

Potash. — The  amount  of  potash  removed  from  the  soil  by  a 
crop  of  salt  bush  does  not  differ  materially  from  that  reported 
for  greasewood;  but  is  greatly  in  excess  of  the  quantity  with- 
drawn by  alfalfa,  more  than  twice  that  required  for  timothy, 
and  nearly  five  times  the  amount  found  in  wheat  hay. 

Phosphoric  acid.— -The  draft  upon  the  soil  by  phosphoric  acid 
is  greatest  in  the  case  of  alfalfa  and  least  in  wheat  hay.  The 
amount  found  in  the  salt  bush,  59  pounds,  being  nearly  three 
times  that  given  for  wheat  hay,  still  is  only  about  three-fourths 
the  weight  of  phosphoric  acid  required  for  a  crop  of  alfalfa. 

Lime. — With  reference  to  lime  it  is  seen  that  a  crop  of  al- 
falfa carries  away  more  of  this  ingredient  than  do  all  the  re- 
maining plants  here  presented,  as  shown  by  the  figures  274.32 
for  alfalfa  and  only  167.90  for  the  other  crops  combined. 

Nitrogen. — The  highest  figure  for  nitrogen,  225.00,  is  re- 
ported for  alfalfa;  the  salt  bush  requiring  about  four-fifths  of 
this  quantity.  We  therefore  see  that  while  the  salt  bush  re- 
moves from  the  soil  an  enormous  amount  of  ash,  it  does  not 
draw  upon  the  vital  ingredients  to  a  corresponding  extent. 

Amount  of  alkali  salts  removed  from  the  soil  by  a  crop  of  salt 
bush. — It  is  of  interest  to  know  just  how  much  of  the  injurious 
salts  of  alkali  soils  are  extracted,  per  acre,  by  an  average  crop 
of  the  salt  bush.  As  before  stated  this  plant  is  grown  on  some 
of  the  worst  spots  of  "  black  alkali "  at  Tulare  station. 

An  analysis  of  the  alkali  salts  of  one  of  these  spots  gave  the 
following  results: 


Percentage   Composition. 

Pounds  per  100  of  Soil. 

Potassium  sulphate 

6.13 
35.97 
26.79 
28.12 

2.99 

.111 

Sodium  sulphate  .        

.651 

Sodium  chlorid 

.485 

Sodium  carbonate 

.509 

Sodium  nitrate 

.054 

Total 

100.00 

1.810 

♦According  to  latest  analysis  of  the  California  fodder. 


16 


This  analysis  shows  that  the  chief  ingredient  of  the  alkali 
is  sodium  sulphate  or  Glauber's  salt;  still,  sodium  carbonate 
("  black  alkali")  forms  nearly  30  per  cent,  of  the  alkali  salts 
and  more  than  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  of  the  soil. 

In  column  I,  of  Table  VI,  below,  are  given  the  amounts,  in 
pounds  per  acre,  of  alkali  salts  in  the  crude  ash  of  a  crop  of  the 
salt  bush,  estimating  the  yield  at  five  tons  per  acre.  In  column 
II,  the  number  of  pounds  of  the  salts  as  they  occur  in  the  soil; 
assuming  an  acre  one  foot  deep  to  weigh  four  million  pounds. 
Column  III  expresses  the  percentage  of  the  total  quantity  in 
the  soil,  which  is  extracted  by  the  salt  bush: 

Table  VI. 


• 

I. 

Alkali  Salts  in 

crop  of  Salt 

Bush.    Pounds 

per  acre. 

II. 

Alkali  Salts  in 

Soil. 

Pounds  per 

acre. 

III. 

Percentage  of 
Total  Salts 

extracted   by 
Salt  Bush. 

Potassium  Sulphate 

111.48 
777.59 
471.10 

4440 
26000 
20360 

2.51 

Sodium  Chlorid 

2.99 

Sodium  Carbonate 

2.31 

Total 

1360.17 

50800 

Average. 
2.60 

Total  Sodium  Salts   

1218.68 

46360 

2.63 

From  this  showing  it  will  be  noted  that  sodium  carbonate  and 
sodium  chlorid,  the  two  most  injurious  of  alkali  salts,  are  re- 
moved from  the  soil  in  no  inconsiderable  quantities  by  a  single 
crop  of  the  salt  bush;  and  while  it  would  require  many  years 
of  such  cropping  to  render  such  a  soil,  containing  nearly  one 
and  three-quarters  per  cent,  of  alkali  salts,  fit  for  other  cultures, 
yet  on  soils  where  the  percentage  of  alkali  is  near  the  limit  of 
injury,  a  few  crops  of  the  salt  bush  would,  in  all  probability, 
bring  it  below  the  danger  point. 

Summary  of  practical  advantages  of  the  salt  bush. 

1.  It  can  be  grown  successfully  on  arid  and  alkali  lands. 

2.  Soils  where  the  percentages  of  alkali  are  near  the  limit  of 
tolerance  can  no  doubt  be  sensibly  relieved  by  planting  the  salt 
bush,  and  permanently  removing  each  cutting  from  the  land. 

3.  The  yield  is  very  large,  about  the  same  as  that  of  alfalfa 
and  the  flat  pea;  but  nearly,  if  not  quite  double  that  of  either 
oat,  barley  or  wheat  hay. 

4.  The  composition  is,  aside  from  the  ash,  such  as  to  make  it 
an  excellent  food  for  stock;  it  seems  to  be  readily  eaten  by  them. 

The  question  still  to  be  settled  is  whether  the  large  amount 
of  saline  ingredients  will  be  harmless  to  all  kinds  of  stock, 
e.  g.  milch  cows.  Assuredly  no  salting  will  be  called;  and  if  no 
purgative  effects  are  noted,  no  other  disadvantages  need  be  ap- 
prehended. 


